Ichijoji Station (一乗寺駅)
Ichijoji Station, located in Ichijoji Satononishi-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, is a stop on the Eizan Main Line, which is operated by the Eizan Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
Station layout
Ichijoji Station has with two separate platforms that face each other with two sets of tracks running between. Basically, it's an unmanned stop, but it becomes a manned stop in the weekday mornings and on busy weekends. An automatic ticket vending machine is provided only on the platform at which the train bound for Demachiyanagi Station stops, and the machine operates from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The station entrance is located on the Demachiyanagi Station side of the platform, and the entrance faces the railway crossing of 'Manshuin-michi.'
(However, Manshu-in Temple is located nearer to the next stop--Shugakuin Station--than it is to Ichijoji Station.)
On the platform where the train bound for Yase-Hieizanguchi Station stops, there is a shed whose length is nearly the same as the platform itself, and on the platform where the train bound for Demachiyanagi Station stops, there is a shed whose length is roughly equivalent to a train car, so the roofs of these sheds shield passengers from rain and the like when they get on or off a train that's operated without a conductor.
Neither platform is barrier-free. There are only steps from the road to the platform (please refer to the image), so disabled persons--including those in wheelchairs--must be assisted in using the steps.
Station surroundings
The station faces Manshuin-michi Road and is situated amid a shopping street. The shops were in place before the opening of the station, and after World War Ⅱ the market was set up and the bus line was established on Manshuin-dori Street. In the 1960s, the west side of the station developed as a shopping street and entertainment district, including movie theaters and "pachinko parlors," the Japanese pinball parlors, both of which were rare outside of city downtown areas at that time. The bustle of the entertainment district has been in decline since about 1980, and the movie theaters have closed, but the appearance of a shopping street remains. Currently, stores for college students can be seen, particularly with regard to the specialty stores of Kyoto Ramen; the shopping street is said to rank high in their number in Kyoto, and Kyoto Ramen has fans throughout Japan.
Around the station there are many sightseeing spots, such as Shisen-do Hall and Ichijoji-Sagarimatsu.
Currently, the nearest bus stops of Kyoto City Bus to Ichijoji Station are 'Ichijoji Sagarimatsu-cho,' which faces Shirakawa-dori Street and is located about 400 meters east of the station, and 'Ichijoji Takatsuki-cho,' which faces Higashioji-dori Street and is located about 300 meters west of the station.
The standard fare of Eizan Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (Eiden), is based on the number of sections, but in consideration of passengers going to the shopping street, the section between Ichijoji Station and Miyakehachiman Station was once handled as a single entity.
Ichijoji-Sagarimatsu: This is a well-known place where Musashi MIYAMOTO, one of the greatest swordsmen in Japanese history, fought a duel with an opponent from the Yoshioka family.
Shisen-do Hall
Tanukidanisan Fudo-in Temple
The Ichijoji branch of Keibunsha Co., Ltd., a famous bookstore specializing in art books and others
Gyoza no Ohsho (Ohsho Food Service Corporation) Ichijoji Branch (one of the stores set up at the founding of the chain)
Kyoto Municipal Shugakuin Junior High School
Kyoto Municipal Shugakuin Daini (second) Elementary School
Chinyu: A ramen store where you can get a discount or the like by using the One-day Pass for Eizan Railways 'Ee Kippu'
History
September 27, 1925: Ichijoji Station opened as a stop of Kyoto Dento.
March 2, 1942: Ichijoji Station became a stop of Keifuku Electric Railroad Co., Ltd., due to the transfer of operations.
April 1, 1986: Ichijoji Station became a stop of Eizan Electric Railway Co., Ltd., upon the transfer of operations.
Adjacent stations
Eizan Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
Eizan Main Line
Chayama Station (Kyoto Prefecture) - Ichijoji Station - Shugakuin Station